NanyangWade-Giles romanization Nan-yangPinyin Nanyangcityin , southwestern Honan Henan sheng (province), China. Nan-yang Nanyang is situated on the Pai Bai River, which is a tributary of the Han River. It was from early times an important centre, commanding a major route between Sian (Hsi-an [Ch’ang-an]) in Shensi province and Hsiang-fan in Hupeh Xi’an in Shaanxi province and Xiangfan in Hubei province and the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) valley, as well as two routes across the Fu-niu Funiu Mountains into the central plain of HonanHenan, leading to Lo-yang and K’ai-fengLuoyang and Kaifeng. Another route extends southeastward into Anhwei Anhui province.

In the early part of the 1st millennium BCBCE, Nan-yang Nanyang was the seat of the state of Shen. For most of the period from 600 to 220 BCBCE, it was on the borders of the southern state of Ch’u Chu and was known as Wan-iWanyi. With the Ch’in Qin conquest in 221 BCBCE, it became Wan county, seat of the commandery of Nan-yangNanyang. It became important under the Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220BCE–220 CE), both as a centre of commerce and as the seat of state iron foundries and of other state manufacturiesmanufacturing enterprises. It was also the point at which converged the major routes leading from the western Xi (Western) Han capital at Ch’ang-an (modern SianChang’an (present-day Xi’an) and the eastern Dong (Eastern) Han capital at Lo-yang Luoyang leading to the Yangtze River at Chiang-ling Jiangling and the far south. In Later Dong Han times (AD 23–22025–220 CE) its local magnates played a large part in the restoration of Han power. In the 1st and 2nd centuries , and its name was a byword for refinement and luxury. For a time it was designated the southern capital. Later, however, its importance declined, and it remained a county town, subordinated to Teng-chouDengzhou, until the last years of the 13th century, when the Mongols established it as the superior prefecture of Nan-yangNanyang. It kept this status until 1912, when it became a county town.

In the 20th century Nan-yang’s importance has somewhat declined, since Nanyang’s importance subsequently declined somewhat, especially after the route of the Peking–HanBeijing-k’ou Hankou railway lies was built east of it. Nan-yang is still a local commercial centre of considerable importance, however, providing a market for the city. However, with the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949, it remained the political and cultural centre of southwestern Henan province and the regional hub for trading the grain, beans, sesame, tobacco, and other crops produced in the surrounding basinand transported by boat on the Pai River to the Han or by a rail line to Lo-ho (opened in 1969) and Hsian-fan. From . Soon after, a new rail line was completed between Jiaozuo (Henan province) and Liuzhou (Guangxi autonomous region) that passed through Nanyang, which boosted the city’s economy. Since the 1980s, Nanyang has experienced considerable industrial growth, with the establishment of factories producing chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, building materials, and, more recently, machinery and electronics. In addition, expressways now connect the city to points north, south, and southeast. Nanyang’s airport provides domestic service to Beijing, Shanghai, and other major cities in China.

Nanyang was long a centre of science, technology, and culture in ancient times, known also for being the birthplace or home of many notable persons in Chinese history. These include Zhang Heng (78–139 CE), scientist of the Dong Han credited with inventing the hydraulic celestial globe and the seismograph; the 3rd-century physician Zhang Zhongjing, who specialized in internal medicine; and the statesman and strategist Zhuge Liang of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguo) period (220–280). Nanyang is thus rich with historical relics and is designated by the national government as a historical and cultural city. Since early times the city has had a reputation for handicrafts, including the cutting cut and polishing of polished gemstones and jade. The surrounding region has a highly developed sericulture industry, producing raw silk, silk yarn, silk textiles, and embroidery. The city has developed a considerable industrial capacity, mostly based on small units. In the late 1950s an iron and steel industry was founded there. Pop. (1988 2002 est.) 208,city, 531,220; (2007 est.) urban agglom., 1,944,000.